Duel - Version Six: A Change of Perspective
by Shade Nightwalker
Summary: Another perspective of the duel between the partners. Who is the ominous shadow behind Deputy Smith also known as Hannibal Heyes?
1. A Change of Perspective

**Author's note:** This is part of a series of stories with the same beginning, but varying story lines.

The idea behind the series was to start with the same scene and explore the possibilities for different stories around it. So, they all share at least the duel between the partners, but the reasons why they got to this point and what happens afterwards differ.

Thanks to aliasfluffyone for the inspiration and thanks again to avoca for proofreading.

 **Duel Part Six: A Change of Perspective**

 _Well, there they stood - in the middle of the main street facing each other down. It would have been a big joke, if it wasn't so serious: Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry - prepared to kill or be killed._

 _His heart sank; no way out remained. He couldn't even think of one anymore, he had tried everything. One of them was going to die today. Who? The devil might know..._

 _Would he be able to pull the trigger, he asked himself, or might he not even hesitate 'cause his well-trained reflexes would take over?_

 _He knew he would die today - one way or the other..._

 _The evening sun already cast long shadows and gilded the sky, when he noticed a shade shifted slightly behind his opponent - just out of sight for him - and he saw the weapon in his hand._

Damn, the angle was all wrong. Too many spectators around, no chance to move – Heyes wouldn't allow that. No chance to warn him, only one way left to safe Heyes's life.

No further thought was required – Kid Curry would do what he had to do, what he always did – protecting his partner.

 **Change of Perspective**

Barney Reynolds hadn't had a good day. He was the third party in this duel without either party knowing it. Standing on the sidewalk just around the corner of the hardware store he watched the unfolding drama. Against his will he would play his own part in it.

Barney had tried to avoid this situation as best he could, but last but not least he hadn't had any choice. Slim Huffman was still mad at him and this was his last chance to atone for not killing a wounded and helpless man, who was buried for the most part beneath soil and stones.

He wasn't a coldblooded killer. Well, not yet. He wiped a rivulet of cold sweat off his forehead. He wasn't aware of being cold blooded and until now he had never taken anyone's life.

Slim had been clear: he had to kill the last remaining deputy. The man had been a thorn in his side since he had been captured. Every move Slim made trying to escape, he blocked. It was as if he could read his mind and that nagged at Slim's ego. The deputy's remarks testified how little he thought of his prisoner's intelligence.

Barney allowed himself a lopsided grin. Maybe that fella hadn't been wrong at all. It surely hadn't been the first failed job in the last few months.

While he waited his thoughts went back to the beginning of the chain reaction that had brought him here today...

Slim - the leader of the Huffman gang - accused him of being responsible for the failed robbery that marked the highlight of their latest streak of bad luck.

Barney had only been curious. How should he have known that touching that little thing would bring it out of balance and crash down in such an ear-numbing manner that the whole town was after them, before they were ready to leave the bank?

And was it his fault that Slim had tripped over debris on the floor or had that been caused by Slim's own haste? However, they had to leave the money in the bank, Slim got caught and one thing Slim wasn't known for was forgiveness.

Barney scratched his head. He still didn't believe he had been responsible for all their misfortunes but Slim was mad as hell and blaming him. He sighed resigned.

In his mind he could easily imagine how furious his leader must have been...

 **Some weeks earlier**

Slim Huffman was upset. That damned idiot Barney had blown up the job! It had been foolproof! Everything had been planned, checked and double-checked!

But that brainless no-good had to fool around with something he better hadn't touched. They had lost the money and even worse he had lost his freedom.

Slim paced his cell and steamed. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long until his boys would come to get him outta here. He snorted. The Sheriff was already recruiting new deputies to escort him to Ogden where he should await his trial.

When the Sheriff returned with his latest recruit he knew instantly this one would become a problem. Dark-brown eyes scanned the room and obviously didn't miss any detail. In the end they locked with Slim's. Seconds later a quiet smile flashed up on the newcomer's remarkable face and a knowing twinkle appeared in his eyes. Yup, that one was dangerous.

Slim's first impression turned out to be right. He tried a few of his tricks to free himself, but always that dark-haired bastard named Smith was a step ahead of him.

When he tried to snatch the keyring of one of his colleagues, Smith suddenly appeared at his side. Blinking mischievously, he slapped Slim's fingers.

The night he eventually managed to use the lock picks unobserved, the deputy awaited him outside the Sheriff's office with cocked gun and a bright smile on his face.

He was fed up with Smith's derogatory and arrogant treatment. His presence alone was a challenge to Slim's self-control. The sharp tongue teased and picked at him on any occasion, tempting Slim to reveal himself. Smith laughed heartily every time he guessed Slim's latest plan before he even finished it, pointed out its weak points and left him no chance to secretly figure out a way to free himself.

Slim had no other choice than to trust his gang to bust him out, but nothing happened. Didn't they try or did his archenemy prevent their plans? He didn't know but suspected the latter. Disgust turned into hate.

Finally, the day came for Silm's transfer to Ogden. They rode since a few hours when they had to pass a defile. Smith – the dark-haired annoyance – had separated from the group with wariness in his eyes. He returned just before the landslide crushed down. Slim's horse broke away and he spurred it forward, knowing Smith instantly close behind him.

But eventually, his luck returned. Slim escaped while earth and boulders crashed down on the deputies – _all_ deputies. He was excited. When the dust sank down and his men arrived, he instructed them to make short work of every lawman they could find.

Slim's excitement didn't last long. A few days later he fumed again, when he found out that one of the men had survived. And of course, it had to be Smith! He suspected it was Barney's fault, again. That man was as thick as a brick and obviously too weak for this kind of life! He would toughen him up or get rid of him – either one worked for Slim. So, he ordered Barney to track down the last surviving deputy and wipe him out. Personally! Or Slim would make sure that he would regret it in a quick and terrible fashion!

Of course, Barney tried to talk him out of it but he was adamant. He wouldn't accept any excuse from him. One would die – at least! The streak of bad luck would end forever.

 **Day of the Duel**

Barney sneaked closer cautiously to gain a clear field of fire. The falling shadows embraced him and protected him from discovery by curious eyes. He shifted slightly behind his victim - just out of sight of him. Everybody was caught by the spectacle on the main street anyway.

Barney had never intended to shoot a man – especially from behind. Well, to be honest he didn't mind being called a coward, last but not least it was true, but to shoot a man in the back was a completely different thing.

Considering murder - even more getting prepared to commit it - made him feel ashamed and desperate. He reckoned life was something valuable and irretrievable. To take a man's life was a deed against his true nature and nearly unbearable for him. But Slim had been clear: one of them would die today, Deputy Smith or Barney himself and in the end Barney's life had value, too – at least for Barney.

He had thought about waiting to see the outcome of the duel. Maybe the challenged gunfighter would solve his problem. Otherwise he could face the deputy in an honest open fight ... and would probably be defeated. Barney's shooting ability wasn't famous, he might easily be the slowest gun in the West.

But if he would surprisingly outdraw him he'd be wanted for murder. Waiting too long, he would give up the best distraction he'd ever get and the only way to get away without being blamed for his deed – by nobody but himself. Better to be safe than sorry.

The gang granted him some kind of company and protection, but it wouldn't prevent him from getting hanged when the law caught him. Maybe it was high time to leave Slim's gang. Maybe it was already too late. Barney wasn't made for the life of a hardened criminal. And he certainly wasn't in the mood to endure Slim's bad temper any longer.

He would leave right now, but he knew Slim somewhere out of sight was watching him. To show the white feather now would be his death sentence. Suddenly he wasn't certain anymore if Slim wouldn't kill him anyway, but he shooed that hopeless thought away, ignoring the fact that his fate might be sealed anyway.

He grabbed the last straw; he would be successful. Slim would be satisfied. He would leave the gang and find a new hideout and protection somewhere else. He had heard rumors about the Devil's Hole gang up in Wyoming. It was said they were successful without shooting innocent folks. If only Wyoming wasn't so far away ...

Barney brought his thoughts back to the presence. He didn't know whose men's path he'd crossed. If he had known, he would never have dared to get between Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes. Maybe he would have tried to gang up with them but he never got the chance.

Now, he had a straight view at the deputy's back. He covered the gun in his hand with his torso from the view of random passersby.

It had to happen now, no sense in waiting any longer. He raised the weapon in his hand, aiming stealthy at the deputy's back. Barney's world focused on a point between shoulder blades covered by a dark-blue shirt. He didn't notice anything else, not even the gunslinger's icy blue gaze that hit him.

Within a heartbeat, three men made decisions that seriously affected their further lives.

Three shots sounded...

 **Author's note:**

If you like to know how it ended - choose the one of the previous stories of the series that you like best.

If you don't like any of them feel free to read the short epilogue.


	2. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Just when Barney pulled the trigger, a sharp pain pierced his hand, burning a path into his torso.

Barney Reynolds's world went dark.

The barrel of his weapon swung aside, sending the bullet towards the metal band of a wagon. It ricocheted, hit the sign of the barber's shop, ricocheted again and cut off the ostrich feather of a lady's hat to end its journey in a barrel of beer waiting in front of the saloon to be brought inside. The barrel showed compassion with Barney Reynolds, popped out its spigot and spent free beer for the crowd that hadn't even noticed that Barney Reynolds's life ended.

 _'_ _I failed - again,'_ he thought, _'but at least I'm saved from becoming a murderer.'_ He felt no guilt, no pain, he just felt relieved. It would be over now. Soon. Quickly.

The last sounds he heard was the spewing of the beer and the noise of the crowd pushing towards the leaking barrel. They overlapped the unimpressive sound of a second body that hit the ground after Barney himself and the urgent but nearly inaudible call for a doctor.

Barney was gone before he got to know what happened to the man who took away his life and he missed Slim who cursed him and the seemingly invulnerable deputy.


End file.
